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The Ultimate Beef & Barley Soup

November 30, 2024

In the cool winter months, there is nothing better than curling up with a warm bowl of soup. This is The Ultimate Beef & Barley Soup, and it’s full of a rich beef broth, tender chunks of seared chuck roast, vegetables, and barley, for a soup that is truly comfort food in a bowl. Serve it with a side of crusty sourdough bread, and you’ve got a classic, family-friendly recipe to keep in your weeknight dinner rotation!

Two bowls of beef and barley soup filled with chunks of beef, vegetables, and barley are set on a table. Fresh parsley and a ladle are nearby, along with a green napkin. The scene conveys a warm, hearty meal ready to be enjoyed.

Friends, of all of the recipes that I’ve created for this blog, one of the most highly request has been a beef and barley soup. This cozy and comforting soup is a staple in so many people’s households during the winter season, for the fact that it’s rich, hearty, and packed with flavor. The combination of tender beef chunks and barley makes this soup warm and filling, which is perfect for the colder months. Thankfully, I don’t live in an area with snow (or “real” winter), but if I did, I know I’d want this soup on constant rotation!

Whether you spend your winter days shoveling snow or hanging out at a Southern California beach, you can’t go wrong with this soup recipe. Think of it like the ultimate comfort food in a bowl! I love to prepare a big batch of this soup and store it in the freezer for those cold winter days when I just want a meal that feels like a hug in a bowl. Oh, and no hearty soup would be complete without a side of bread, and this recipe is no exception. I love serving this soup alongside my Cheesy Pull-Apart Garlic Bread or The Best Gluten-Free Jalapeño Cornbread Muffins for the ultimate comfort meal!

To make this soup, you’ll need a chuck roast, olive oil, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, tomato paste, soy sauce, seasonings, beef broth, barley, and fresh parsley.

Chunks of raw beef sit in a large pot surrounded by ingredients like sliced carrots, celery, garlic, olive oil, and barley, suggesting preparation for a stew. Cooking utensils and bowls are scattered around on a wooden surface. — To make this soup, you’ll need a chuck roast, olive oil, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, tomato paste, soy sauce, seasonings, beef broth, barley, and fresh parsley.

What You Need to Make The Ultimate Beef & Barley Soup

Chuck Roast: While any beef cut can work in this soup recipe, I recommend using chuck roast. It’s a large cut of beef from the shoulder area that is tender, flavorful, and absolutely delicious.
Olive Oil: A little olive oil adds healthy fats and is perfect for cooking the veggies and meat!
Carrots, Celery, & Onion: Also known as mirepoix, the combination of diced carrots, celery, and onion makes for the perfect base for this soup.
Garlic: I always recommend using fresh garlic, whenever possible. It adds the best flavor!
Tomato Paste: A little bit of tomato paste adds a rich, tomato-y flavor to this soup. Don’t skip it!
Soy Sauce: Soy sauce adds the perfect kick to this soup recipe! You can also opt to use coconut aminos or tamari, if desired, instead.
Seasonings: This soup is perfectly seasoned, thanks to a combination of dried thyme, ground black pepper, and a bay leaf. Yum!
Beef Broth: Of course, it wouldn’t be a beef soup without the beef broth! While any type of broth will work well for this recipe, I recommend using beef broth for the best flavor.
Barley: Barley is a tender wheat grain that is high in fiber and pairs perfectly with the delicious beef. It is NOT gluten-free, so be sure to keep that in-mind, when making this recipe!
Fresh Parsley: A sprinkle of fresh parsley adds the perfect finishing touch to this soup.

A pot filled with diced carrots, celery, onions, tomato paste, and herbs. Surrounding the pot are ingredients like garlic cloves, olive oil, bay leaves, pepper, and barley on a tiled kitchen surface. — Sauté the diced carrots, celery, and onion in the olive oil and beef juices. Then, add in the garlic, tomato paste, soy sauce, thyme, the bay leaf, and the ground black pepper to the pot.

How to Make This Cozy & Comforting Beef Soup

To make this soup, start by heating a large pot or dutch oven, on the stove, over medium heat, and add in the olive oil. Prepare the chuck roast by cutting it into 1-inch pieces and trimming the fat. You can also ask your butcher to do this for you, to help you save a step. Once the oil is hot, add the chuck roast to the pot and cook it until it’s just browned on all sides. Then, remove the chuck roast pieces from the pot and transfer them to a plate.

Next, dice the carrots, celery, and onion, and add them to the pot. Sauté them in the olive oil and chuck roast juices for about 4 minutes. Then, add in the garlic, tomato paste, soy sauce, thyme, the bay leaf, and the ground black pepper to the pot. Toss to coat the veggies in the seasonings and sauté them together for one more minute. Then, add the chuck roast pieces back into the pot alongside any of the juices that collected on the plate.

A person adds a cup of barley to a pot of simmering stew, containing chunks of meat, celery, and a bay leaf. The pot is on a wooden surface, surrounded by garlic, pepper, bay leaves, and a measuring cup with broth. — Add the chuck roast back to the pot, cover, and cook for another 50 minutes. Then, uncover the pot, remove the bay leaf, and add in the barley.

Add the chuck roast back to the pot, cover, and cook for another 50 minutes. Then, uncover the pot, remove the bay leaf, and add in the barley.

Add in the beef broth and bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Then, place the lid on the pot, cover, and allow the soup to cook for another 50 minutes. Once the 50 minutes are up, remove the bay leaf and add the barley into the soup. Then, cook the soup for another 25-30 minutes, uncovered, until both the beef and barley are tender.

Once the soup has finished cooking, taste and adjust the seasonings as needed. Finally, ladle the soup evenly into bowls. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley, if desired, then serve and enjoy!

Two bowls of beef barley soup with carrots and celery on green plates, garnished with parsley. A small bowl of ground pepper and a plate with parsley leaves are nearby on a tiled surface. A spoon rests beside one bowl. — Once the soup is done, garnish it with chopped parsley, serve immediately, and enjoy!

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of beef should I use for this soup

I recommend using chuck roast for the deep, beefy, tender flavor. It works perfectly in this recipe!

Can I prepare the beef ahead of time?

While you technically can, I recommend preparing the beef according to the recipe, so that the soup has the richest and heartiest flavor.

Can this soup be made gluten-free?

No, it cannot. Barley is derived from wheat, making this soup naturally not gluten-free. You can try substituting out the barley for a rice, such as arborio, but note that the cook time and consistency of the soup will be different. I don’t recommend it.

What is the best way to store leftovers?

I recommend storing any leftovers in an airtight container or large mason jar, in the fridge or freezer. In the fridge, this soup should stay good for up to one week. In the freezer, it should stay good for up to two months!

If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a review and rating below! To see more recipes and behind the scenes, follow along on Instagram, TikTok, and Youtube! I’m also now on Pinterest, so stop by and take a look at what’s new.

** Photography by Tanya Pilgrim

Dairy Free/Nut Free/Refined Sugar Free